Vapor-burner.



No. 639,296. Patented Dec. I9, i899.' r N. E. ROSS.

VAPOR BURNER. (Application filed May 26I 1899.) I

(No Model.)

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'i iTnn STATES PATENT t trios,

NOBLE G. ROSS, OF KA-NSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

VAPOR-BURNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 1 \T 0. 639,296, datedDecember 19, 1899.

^ Application filed May 26, 1899. Serial No. 718,344. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NOBLE G. ROSS, of Kansas City, Jackson county,Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements iuVapor-Burners, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to vapor-burners of that type wherein refractorymantles are used to produce an incandescent iiame; and my object is toproduce a vapor-burner whereby a perfect combustion is obtained and themantle rendered brilliantly incandescent throughout its entire surface.

Vith these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel andpeculiar features of construction and combinations of parts, as will behereinafter described and claimed, and in order that the invention maybe fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure 1 represents, mainly in side elevation, a vapor-burnerand oiltank constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is afull size vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectiontaken in a plane at right angles to that of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a View ofthe burner mainly in top plan. Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line V Vof Fig. 2.

Before proceeding with a detailed description of the invention it iswell to state that the two defects of burners of this class which Ipropose to remedy are caused by an imperfect or spasmodic generation ofgas, thereby causing unsteadiness or irregularity in the pressure and animperfect combustion, due to the fact that the supply of air is notalways proportionate to the supply or volume of vapor discharged intothe miXing-tube. The cause of the irregularity in the pressure and thedisproportion of air and gas will be hereinafter pointed out inconnection with the description of the construction whereby I remedythese defects.

In the said drawings, V B designate generally my improved vapor-burner,of which l designates the mouth of the mixing-tube, 2 its neck or bodyportion, and 3 its enlarged or flaring head portion, the lattercommunieating with the combustion-chamber4,formed bytheupwardly-projecting circular iiange 49. The mouth l of the mixing-tubeis of the same width in one direction as its neck or body portion 2, butis of greater width in a plane at right angles thereto, so that itsreceiving end or mouth is of substantially oblong rectangularconfiguration, as shown most clearly in Fig. 5. Seated at the junctionof the enlarged or head portion with the combustionchamber is aburner-cap (designated generally by the letter C) consisting of the flatmetallic strip 5 and the crimped metallic strip 6, coiled or convolutedone within the other, as shown in Fig. 4C. In a cap of this constructionthe interstices or openings are of sufiicient length to give the gas asit passes up `through the same a vertical tendency, and

thereby cooperate in the effort to render the mantle M, secured inposition in the ordinary o r any preferred manner,incandescentthroughout its entire surface,it being well-known that withthe majority of vaporburners at present in use the upper end of themantle is not rendered perfectly incan-` descent. The wallatthe innerside of the mixing-chamber is extended downward beyond the flaring sidesthereof and is provided with a Vertical passage 7, and at its oppositeside the wall is also extended downward and provided with a similarpassage 8, said passages being connected at their upper ends by thehorizontal passage 9, (see Figs. 3 and 5,) to the end that the flameimpinging directly upon the integrally-formed flange 4ta of the burnershall quickly raise the temperature of the latter sufficiently high toinsure the thorough and quick vaporization of 'the oil in said passageand, by conduction, in the opening l0 communicating with the lower endolf the passage 7. At the lower end of the passage 8 is an arm 11,forming a horizontal continuation of passage 8, which continuationcommunicates with the vertical valve-seat passage and jet-orifice 12,arranged centrally below the mouth of the mixing-chamber.

13 designates an arm depending from the inner end of the arm 1l, and 14an oit-cup adj ustably mounted upon said arm, a threaded rod 15extending vertically up through said` cup and arm 13 and terminating atits upper end in a needle-valve 16, having its needle-point 17 normallyprojecting through the jet-orifice. By this needle-valve the jet- ICOorifice may be entirely closed, and by means of the needle-point 17 theorifice is kept free of obstructions to the passage of the gas.

As well known, the discharge of a jet of vapor through the air tends topush or whirl the air off at a tangent to the jet. Asa consequence thevolume of air ultimately mixed with the gas is too small proportionatelyto the volume of the latter and imperfect combustion results. Thistrouble occurs with any mixing-tube having a circular or substantiallycircular mouth of relatively large diameter, while, on the other hand,where the diameter of the mixing-tube is too small the same troubleoccurs-that is to say, such a relatively large volume of air is whirledoff at a tangent to the mixing-tube that there is an insufcient supplyto support combustion in the com bustion-chamber. By a great deal ofexperimenting I have discovered that I can obtain the requisite volumeof air by providinga mixing-chamber having a mouth of the configurationshown and descr'ibed-thatis to say, a mixing-chamber having a mouthwhich tapers at two sides from its receiving to its discharge end, whileits opposite walls are.

substantially parallel. By this construction as the vapor is dischargedinto said flaring mouth the air at the narrow sides of the latter, thesides of the same extending downward to at least the plane of thejet-orifice, as hereinbefore described, and shown in Fig. 2, is heldclose to the burner and practically all of it is carried up by thefrictional action of the vapor jet. At the opposite points the passageof the vapor-jet deflects a certain proportion of the air outward of the'mouth of the mixing-tube, and, owing to the distance between the jets',the velocity of the air drawn in at these points is slow, which is thereason why the mouth should be wide enough to take in a sut'licientvolume of air atjthe slow speed the latter is traveling. The rate ofprogress of the air of course increases in proportion to the diminishingarea of the mouth of the mixing-chamber, so that by the time it attainsaspeed about equal to that of the vapor it has entered, with the latter,the narrow or neck portion 2 of the passage,\vhere in it isintimatelyintermixed with the vapor and carried up by the frictionalaction of the latter, the mixture forminga combustible gas, which burnsin the chamber 4.

The air between the lower ends of the ex tensions of the side walls ofthe mixing-chamber mouth is held from the beginning in close frictionalrelation with the gas, and therefore gets up speed rapidly and, togetherwith the proportion of air drawn up along the flaring walls, insures theproper mixture of vapor and air and a perfect combustion, as will bereadily understood.

18 designates the oil-supply pipe, which is closed at its upper end by acap 19, secured thereto, said cap being in the form ofa hook forconvenience in suspending the burner or lamp. Near its upper end thelamp is provided with an aperture 18, and mounted upon the pipe andinclosing said aperture is an oil-tank 21, theI latter being providedwith an internal partition, through which the pipe extends, saidpartition consisting of a pair of substantially parallel foraminoushoods 22, containing` asbestos or equivalent packing 23 between them,the aperture 20 of the pipe communicating with the space inclosed by theinner hood 22. This construction provides a filter to purify the oilbefore it reaches the pipe, and the inner hood prevents particles oflint from the packing 23 passing with the oil into the hole or aperture20.

The lower end of the pipe 18 communicates with the horizontal pipe 24,screwed into the burner and communicating with the chamber 10, andsecured in this pipe is a device which incidentally performs thefunction of a iilter, but which is intended primarily to provide acontinuous and uniform pressure by providing a constantgeneration ofvapor.

In a number of vapor-burners with which I am familiar the supply-pipecorresponding to pipe 2l is provided with a strainer, usually of wire,adapted to remove foreign substances from the oil and at the same timeto so subdivide the stream of oil as to facilitate its generation intovapor. With such construction, however, any excess of vapor generatcdcreates a back pressure, which drives the oil back some distance, sothat the pipe is at least partially filled with gas-that is to say, itsheated end is Afilled with gas-and in consequence the generative actionfor the fraction of a second ceases; but as the consumption of the gascontinues this excess of pressure is eliminated at about the moment thegeneration of the gas ceases, and at the same instant the oil which waspushed back by the excessive pressure Hows forward again, but in amoment or so afterward is again pushed back, and thus oscillates backand forth during the entire period the burner is in service. Thisoscillation of the oil in the pipe causes a blowing sound and spasmodicgeneration of gas, and this in turn causes an irregularity in thepressure. My substitute for this strainer oriilter of the old burnersprevents this irregularity of pressure and eliminates the disagreeableblowing sound by causing a constant and continuous generation of vapor,and its action will be explained after a brief description of.itsconstruction. It is constructed by placing upon a sheet of wire-gauze ofsuitable gage a slightly shorter sheet of asbestos or equivalentmaterial and then forminga cylinder by rolling the two sheets together,the sheets of gauze being designated by the numeral 25 and the sheets ofasbestos by the numeral 26. The projecting ends of gauze are then bentinward, so as to form the foraminous rear end 27 for the cylinder andthe foraminous front end 27a,the latter being so bent as to leavealittle space between it and the adjacent end of the asbestos, so as tocatch any lint or other IOO IZO

material which may work loose from the asbestos or other filling andprevent it from entering the vapor-passage. This construction permitsthe oil to enter and fill the burner, as usual, and when the burner isheated sufficiently by oil burning in the cup 14 or by the iiameimpinging upon the flange 4f the ex` cess of vapor causes a backpressure, which drives the oil back some distance in the pipe 24,leaving the latter partially filled with gas, as hereinbefore describedwith reference to the old type of burner; but owing to the fact that theasbestos by absorption or capillary action remains saturated somedistance in advance of the oil itself the generation of vaporcontinues-that is to say, the heat of the tube adjacent to the burnerevolves vapor from the oil-saturated end of the asbestos-which actioncontinues until the excess of vapor is consumed and by the lowering ofthe pressure the oil again rushes forward and crowds the vapor to suchan extent that the latter. pushes it back again, again leaving the frontend of the asbestos saturated and ready to continue the generation ofgas.

From the foregoing it is obvious that the asbestos or equivalentmaterial in the tube is the agent whereby the generation of gas is madecontinuous; but it is equally obvious that the wire-gauze cage or itsequivalent is necessary, as otherwise the burner would be speedilyrendered inoperative by an accumulation of lint in the vapor-passage.Furthermore, by in effect weaving the gauze and asbestos together asubstantially solid cylinder is provided, which prevents the oil passingforward too rapidly. The constant pressure thus maintained, togetherwith the proper mixture of air and vapor and the extended verticalinterstices of the bu rner-cap, insures the incandescence of the entiremantle; but in order to operate the burner as cheaply as possible byutilizing the heat for generating purposes I provide the cylindricalcasing 28 to enclose the bu rner,said casing being formed with an offset29 to receive the offset of the burner, which receives the pipe 24. Thecasing-offset is provided with a hole 30, through which the said pipeprojects and is lined with asbestos or equivalent material, as at 3l,which by confining the heat serves to keep the casing of niceappearance, as well as to facilitate the vaporization of the oil. y

From the above description, taken in connection with the drawings, itwill be apparent that I have produced a vapor-burner which embodies thefeatures of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement ofinvention, and it is to be understood thatI reserve 1. A vapor-burner,provided with a mixingchamber, comprising a neck or body portion and afiaring mouth communicating therewith, the receiving end of said mouthbeing of substantially elongated rectangular contour, substantially asdescribed.

2. A vapor-burner, provided with a mixingchamber comprising a neck orbody portion and a substantially rectangular mouth, two sides of saidmouth liaring outward, and the other two extending substantiallyparallel and terminating beyond the termination of the flaring sides,substantially as described.

3.. A vapor-burner, provided with a mixingchamber comprising a neck orbody portion and a substantially rectangular mouth, two sides of saidmouth Haring outward and the other two sides extending substantiallyparallel and beyond the termination of the fiaring sides, said burnerhaving its jet-orice at a point between the terminals of the iiaring andstraight sides of said mouth, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

4. A vapor-burner provided with an oilsupply pipe and a cylinder fittingsnugly in said pipe and consisting of wire-gauze and an absorbentmaterial; said cylinder being formed by placing a sheet of wire-gauzeand a sheet of absorbent material together and then rolling them tocylindrical form., so that between the convolutions of the gauze occurconvolutions of absorbent material, substantially as described.

5. A vapor-burner, provided with an oilsupply pipe, and a cylinderfitting snugly in said pipe and consisting of wire-gauze and anabsorbent material rolled together; said wiregauze being bent inward atits front end beyond the corresponding end of the absorbent material,substantially as described.

6. A vapor-burner, provided with an oilsupply pipe, and a cylinderfitting snugly in said pipe and consisting of wire-gauze and anabsorbent material rolled together; said wiregauze being bent inward atits front end beyond the corresponding end of the absorbent material,and bent inward at its rear end so as to cover the corresponding end ofthe absorbent material, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a vapor-burner, of a perforated supply-pipehaving its upper end closed and terminating in a hook, and an oil-tankmounted upon the pipe and inclosing its perforation, and provided withan internal partition consisting of a pair of foraminous hoods inclosingsaid hole, and a filtration substance confined between said hoods,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

NOBLE G. ROSS. lVitnesses:

M. R. REMLEY, H. C. RoDGERs.

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